In honor of the Fruits Basket discussion at MC Otakon, I want to share some Chinese Zodiac resources. Find out about your sign!

I also want to note that as of now, this Wednesday's program is full.

Websites after the jump.

Teen Read Week starts Saturday and ends Sunday, Oct. 23. Anytime during the week you can visit the library and ask for one of our (FREE) AXIS rubber bracelets (now available in black or a cool green). At the downtown location visit the youth department or at any branch see a librarian at the reference desk. ALSO: if you visit the teen area you can also enter to win an American Library Association Orlando Bloom "READ" poster - entry forms and boxes will be at every location. If you hate Orlando or just don't like his mug the poster would make a nice gift...

Research projects and papers give you a headache? Come learn tips and tricks to help you get organized and stay on course. Call 327-8301 to register for this two-part workshop:

Oct. 25, 7-9 pm Tackling Assignments, Pt 1: Process and Print Sources Downtown
Nov. 1, 7-9 pm Tackling Assignments, Pt. 2: Process, Electronic Databases, Internet, Malletts Creek
Nov. 15, 7-9 pm Tackling Assignments, Pt. 2 [repeat of Nov. 1], Downtown

Truth tellers remind us that our democracy is alive and ever changing. Inspired by 9/11, Americans Who Tell the Truth is a series of portraits accompanied by quotations. It is both striking and highly personal. A New England artist and illustrator, Robert Shetterly painted 50 people he greatly admires--freedom fighters, activists, and patriots --who demonstrate political and social principles that foster "the fundamental dignity and equal worth of every individual.” Readers will recognize Sojourner Truth, Mark Twain, Woody Guthrie, Dwight Eisenhower,and Rosa Parks to name a few.

It's October again, the time to dust off copies of The Sixth Sense and Sleepy Hollow for an evening of seeing dead people and mistaking Johnny Depp for one of them. Just don’t forget there are many novels out there perfect for Halloween reading.

Bram Stoker’s Dracula tells the tale of a naive young Englishman’s travels to Transylvania to do business with a client, Count Dracula. A classic, and a surprisingly good read. For those who want big screen chills, check out the library presentation of the silent film Nosferatu with live musical accompaniment by Blue Dahlia.

More horror after the jump.

You’ve seen them at the mall, in your classes, or even living next door. They’re Zingers, who constantly quote famous lines from TV shows and movies. Or perhaps they’re Molly McButters, young women who epitomize the “granny cool” look. You may have even met a Hair Gel Knight, those unfortunate men who have confused gallantry with male chauvinism. And if you’ve seen them, Robert Lanham has categorized them. His newest book is Food Court Druids, Cherohonkees, and other Creatures Unique to the Republic, a hilarious taxonomy of frequently seen American types.

Andre Anderson is the hoopster; he plays with skill and style. He also interns at a magazine, with aspirations to become a fulltime writer someday. When he writes an article on the topic of racism, he is praised and rewarded at work for his insights, but an extremist group takes offense and brutally attacks Andre. He struggles to re-group, heal and deal with his anger. JD Jackson narrates Andre's story with a dramatic flair. The author, Alan Lawrence Sitomer teaches English at an inner-city school.

13 year old Sam Lopez is a scrappy, “pretty” boy who grew up in California with a “hippie” mother. When Sam moves to England to live with relatives, he agrees to pose as a girl for the first five days of school in order to gain acceptance into the new group. Boy2Girl offers “laugh out loud” scenes and thoughtful reflection on gender and roles. By the end, life goes on. Terence Black states "Entertainment ... often has a serious thread running through it."

"A Breath of Snow and Ashes isn't great literature. It's way, way too long; full of breathless prose, cornball archaic language, and Gaelic phrases; easy to make fun of or relegate to the status of guilty pleasure."

So why am I telling you about it? Read this review from Kathy Weissman.

And don't worry about jumping into the series at the end - heel her advise and get hold of a copy of the The Outlandish Companion. Before long, you will be handselling Diana Gabaldon and this historical fantasy series to all your friends.

AADL-GT: Ann Arbor District Library Game Tournaments

The 2005 season thunders on, and round 2 fufilled expectations, with intense competition, increased controversy, and a solid 100+ turnout. Registration enhancements helped us get everyone checked in faster, and putting food and a TV outside the room was a big hit, decreasing the congestion and making more room for everyone.

The Mario Kart single-player event kicked off with 83 competitors, and a new split-screen approach, with two races going on at once. Everyone got 3 qualifying races, which unfortunately still took forever, and after a tiebreaker, the top 32 advanced to the quarterfinals. The semifinals got us down to a final 8 person race, with [gtplayer:168] taking First place, [gtplayer:141] taking second, veteran [gtplayer:345] taking third, and Black Shark Clan's [gtplayer:153] taking 4th, all getting a trip to the Surprize round, and to the grand championships in december. Read on for more!